My Aiming system, Your comments.

R

RunoutalloverU

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is how I make every shot like a straight in shot for me. Now I haven't been able to teach this to anyone, because one of the fundamental aspects of my aiming method is slightly untangable. I mean ive tried, I just havent really been successful. So im just going to throw this out there, and lets see where I fall short in explaining it.

When I stand over a shot, any shot, I can see where the cue ball must travel in a straight line to make contact with the object ball to pocket it. So I center the cue ball in this line with my body. So the cueball as im standing over the shot, is centered with my body i.e. the middle of my chest, my nose, etc. I then make an imaginary dot that is on the top of the cue ball. I take that dot or...point, think of a period on the end of a sentence, and look directly across from the cueball and where the object ball is i make an imaginary point there. And then as im bending over the shot, I keep those two points together. Now on cut shots with less angle, the point/dot in on the object ball. With more angle is gradually moves away from the object ball and then is on the table next to the object ball. And this makes every shot easy, no matter what it is (within reason), and they all become like straight in shots for me.
So get it? Tell me what you think.
 
RunoutalloverU said:
...When I stand over a shot, any shot, I can see where the cue ball must travel in a straight line to make contact with the object ball to pocket it....
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If you can always see this line on every shot, then who needs an aiming system?

The real question is...exactly how did obtain this ultimate line?
 
jsp said:
If you can always see this line on every shot, then who needs an aiming system?

The real question is...exactly how did obtain this ultimate line?
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I have no idea, thats the part that I can't explain. But one way ive tried, is if your standing over the shot, and took the ball in your hand and slid it down the table where you know (i guess like a ghost ball technique) where the cue ball meets the object ball in a straight line with the pocket, thats the line. Where that ball slides down is the ultimate line.
 
This system also make combinations much much eaisier too. It corrects the way you look at them, and shows you where to proporly aim.
 
Not bad, good in fact. Seems to me you are moving toward playing by feel which is the direction you want to be going.
 
CaptainJR said:
Not bad, good in fact. Seems to me you are moving toward playing by feel which is the direction you want to be going.
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Thank you. I think you might be right about the feel, well atleast im able to use the technique faster, and on eaisier shots its almost automatic.
 
I think your method is a good one, but it's not really an aiming system. An aiming system's purpose is to show where the CB needs to go to make the shot. Your system is more of a "shooting" system: it helps you to deliver the CB to the spot where you already know it needs to go.

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I think your method is a good one, but it's not really an aiming system. An aiming system's purpose is to show where the CB needs to go to make the shot. Your system is more of a "shooting" system: it helps you to deliver the CB to the spot where you already know it needs to go.

pj
chgo
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Patrick is right and again it shows that you are leaning toward feel. Which also explains why you can't explain it. You can explain feel. It must be developed.

JR
 
Almost sounds like the way I play. Problem for me is its not there for me every time I play. When things are "on" for me, I see lines on the table with my minds eye going from the cue ball to the object ball, and from the object ball to the pocket or point on the rail that I want the ball to follow.
Almost like worn lines in the felt. On those days, I don't miss. trouble is, its not always ther. Sometimes I can concentrate enough to make the lines show up, and sometimes I can't. I'll try the dots next time out. Sounds good to me. I think you explained it well. Thanks.
 
You can make most shots by aiming full ball or outer edge of object ball. You use the line to pocket from CB to find an arc on the CB. You aim the arc at the OB by aiming half or edge OB. When you aim edge of OB the line to pocket (arc) jumps out at me. These arcs give me a larger aiming point and more confidence over the shot. The arc is like a slice of pie facing the pocket. Made the contact point easy for me.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I think your method is a good one, but it's not really an aiming system. An aiming system's purpose is to show where the CB needs to go to make the shot. Your system is more of a "shooting" system: it helps you to deliver the CB to the spot where you already know it needs to go.

pj
chgo
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I never really thought of it that way, thank you for your insight, well said.
 
cuebuilder said:
Almost sounds like the way I play. Problem for me is its not there for me every time I play. When things are "on" for me, I see lines on the table with my minds eye going from the cue ball to the object ball, and from the object ball to the pocket or point on the rail that I want the ball to follow.
Almost like worn lines in the felt. On those days, I don't miss. trouble is, its not always ther. Sometimes I can concentrate enough to make the lines show up, and sometimes I can't. I'll try the dots next time out. Sounds good to me. I think you explained it well. Thanks.
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Yeah during the development of this technique that was the problem for me too, what made it "there" for me everytime I stepped to the table, was not taking my eye off of the two aiming points. Because when your standing up, its a different point of view (obviously) so the aiming changes, unless you keep the points together from standing up to going down over the shot. I dont actually use any "lines" per se. They are too hard to keep track of in my imagination. Two points....much eaisier.
 
cuebuilder said:
Almost sounds like the way I play. Problem for me is its not there for me every time I play. When things are "on" for me, I see lines on the table with my minds eye going from the cue ball to the object ball, and from the object ball to the pocket or point on the rail that I want the ball to follow.
Almost like worn lines in the felt. On those days, I don't miss. trouble is, its not always ther. Sometimes I can concentrate enough to make the lines show up, and sometimes I can't. I'll try the dots next time out. Sounds good to me. I think you explained it well. Thanks.
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I get the lines myself sometimes.. especially on a darker green felt. Good to hear I'm not crazy!
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I think your method is a good one, but it's not really an aiming system. An aiming system's purpose is to show where the CB needs to go to make the shot. Your system is more of a "shooting" system: it helps you to deliver the CB to the spot where you already know it needs to go.

pj
chgo
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I don't agree. His "system" involves visually deterimining a spot on the OB to which he wants to deliver the CB and then uses the dot on the top of the OC to AIM at that point.

Sounds like an aiming system to me.

Regards,
Jim
 
RunoutalloverU said:
When I stand over a shot, any shot, I can see where the cue ball must travel in a straight line to make contact with the object ball to pocket it. So I center the cue ball in this line with my body. So the cueball as im standing over the shot, is centered with my body i.e. the middle of my chest, my nose, etc. I then make an imaginary dot that is on the top of the cue ball. I take that dot or...point, think of a period on the end of a sentence, and look directly across from the cueball and where the object ball is i make an imaginary point there. And then as im bending over the shot, I keep those two points together. Now on cut shots with less angle, the point/dot in on the object ball. With more angle is gradually moves away from the object ball and then is on the table next to the object ball. And this makes every shot easy, no matter what it is (within reason), and they all become like straight in shots for me.
So get it? Tell me what you think.
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Interesting approach.

First, your tactic of APPROACHING the shot and getting down on it in a systematic way is SPOT ON. A lot of errors are induced by faulty set up positions.

HOW you approach is influenced by such things as body type and your stance over the shot. Some use the classic 45 degree foot position while the former snooker champions tend to set up more open.

I tend to set up more open...because Allison Fisher taught me to do that in her and Gerda Hofstatter's GREAT Pool School. So, because of that, I imagine a line running through the CB/OB back to where I am standing and approach the table so that my right foot steps on that line. Doing so sets me up correctly for MY personal stance.

Your approach may be different but the fact that you are approaching and getting down over the shot in a systematic way is GREAT.

As for your system itself, it relies on being able to visualize imaginary spots on the CB and OB and to KEEP those spots mentally there. Some people have more visual minds than others and it is a GREAT skill to have.

And when you say..."I can see where the cue ball must travel in a straight line to make contact with the object ball to pocket it."...that essentially equates to the ghost ball system which works better for people who have visual minds than people who don't.

Everyone can see the ghost ball at first but many can't KEEP the ghost ball (mentally) in place as they get over the shot.

But DO always keep in mind that "geometric" systems are not only fine as a baseline starting point...,they are ESSENTIAL....BUT as Byrne and Koehler point out, raw geometry is not flawless due to the operation of collision-induced throw that influeces most shots to greater and lesser degrees depending on cut angle and the condition of the balls..chalk...powder...hand oil etc.

Collision throw can cause geometric OB paths to vary by as much as 11 degrees and 4 degrees even with clean balls! The compensation for collision throw is to hit thinner so as you continue to develop your system, you might want to adopt the montra..."When in doubt...thin it out" keeping in mind that the throw error becomes more important when the OB is further from the pocket.



Good luck!

Jim
 
av84fun said:
I don't agree. His "system" involves visually deterimining a spot on the OB to which he wants to deliver the CB and then uses the dot on the top of the OC to AIM at that point.

Sounds like an aiming system to me.

Regards,
Jim
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Ok so I guess it is a system. It just maybe some kind of hybrid. Where I use elements of tangible and untangible things. But where ive fallen short in explaining it, like ive said before, is where I know where the cue ball needs to be delievered in a straight line. It took me two years of struggling to get it right. What pointed me in the right direction, was actually, a book. "An answer to a pool players prayers." Good book, much too involved for me though. I don't have a dominate eye, and some of the points in it are overkill. But it did point me in the right direction. And now I don't even remember how. But I like the discussion, because ive never really tried to explain it to people who really knew the game.
 
You did an excellent job in explaining it and the variables in your system are sound.

But as I said, it relies on extremely good visualization skills including the ability to RETAIN those imaginary points in your mind.

Most great athletes in almost all sports have the abililty to actually SEE themselves execute. That's what most pro golfers are doing when they stand staionary behind their shots and sort of gaze off into the distance. They are actually VIZUALIZING themsleves executing the shot they are about to make.

Memory is similar. People have visual and auditory memory but most people have more success with one than the other. My GUESS is that you remember more/longer of what you read than what you hear.

Do you have good eyesight (corrected or otherwise)? People with better eyesight will remember more of what they see.

You are fortunate to have your visualization skill because it is difficult to learn if it be learned at all.

Regards,
Jim
 
not an aiming system

an aiming system is a method or technique to calculate how to pocket the ball e.g. quarter, half ball etc. the method mentioned is more a visual tool. i think the strength in this technique is it keeps the line of sight in line with the cueball path. it does not, however, calculate for the player how thick or thin to hit the object ball in order to pocket it. hence, not an aiming system. i'm just clearing semantics. doesnt matter what you call it though if it helps you pocket more balls.
 
RunoutalloverU said:
Ok so I guess it is a system. It just maybe some kind of hybrid. Where I use elements of tangible and untangible things. But where ive fallen short in explaining it, like ive said before, is where I know where the cue ball needs to be delievered in a straight line. It took me two years of struggling to get it right. What pointed me in the right direction, was actually, a book. "An answer to a pool players prayers." Good book, much too involved for me though. I don't have a dominate eye, and some of the points in it are overkill. But it did point me in the right direction. And now I don't even remember how. But I like the discussion, because ive never really tried to explain it to people who really knew the game.
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The problem still remains... Hitting that spot...
 
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